Class 4A/3A defensive playmakers to watch in 2026: Part 1

the next several months, I'll be letting you know who some of the top returners on the defensive side of the football will be in the state of Maryland.   Today, I have four prospects on the defensive side of the football in Maryland's 4A/3A class that you need to know.    Morris is a competitive, instinctive defensive back who consistently finds the football and makes plays despite his smaller frame. During the 2025 season, he totaled 20 tackles, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns.   In coverage, Morris plays with good awareness and discipline, especially in Cover 2. He understands leverage, stays patient, and keeps receivers in front of him. Morris does a nice job reading the quarterback, reacting to tipped passes, and capitalizing on mistakes, including turning an interception into a touchdown. He competes well at the catch point, timing his jumps and breaking up passes downfield even against bigger receivers.   Morris is also quick to react against screens and short throws. He reads his keys, avoids blocks, and closes fast, making tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Morris's effort stands out on chase plays, where he hustles from the backside and forces turnovers. On special teams, he's active and alert, contributing with tackles and a fumble recovery.   To continue developing, Morris will benefit from adding strength and mass to handle more physical matchups and tackles. Showing more reps in man coverage and press situations would also help round out his film. Overall, he's a high-effort defensive back who plays bigger than his size and consistently impacts the game through instincts and effort.     Brooks is a competitive, instinctive slot corner who plays with confidence in both man and zone coverage. In man-to-man situations, he shows strong awareness and positioning, staying connected at the hip and finishing plays on the ball. Brooks' instincts stand out on a post-corner concept, where he stays underneath the route, reads the quarterback, and jumps the throw for an interception. He's comfortable playing inside leverage and trusts his ability to break on the ball.   Brooks also brings physicality to the slot. He disrupts routes early, knocking receivers off their path and throwing off timing, then rallies to finish tackles after the catch. Brooks shows toughness and a willingness to mix it up in traffic, which is critical for a slot corner.   His versatility shows up in zone looks as well. When coverage rotates, Brooks handles safety responsibilities smoothly, reading the quarterback and capitalizing on underthrown passes for turnovers. He's aggressive downhill against screens and quick throws. Brooks reacts fast and makes tackles behind the line of scrimmage.   To continue developing, adding functional strength, and showing more reps against bigger slot receivers would help elevate his profile. Overall, Brooks is a tough slot defender with ball skills, blitz ability, and the physical mindset coaches want from a slot cornerback.      Colbert is a rangy, ball-hawking free safety with strong instincts and real playmaking ability. He consistently shows up around the football, whether it's in coverage, as a returner, or reacting to quick throws. As a deep safety, he does a good job playing “deep as the deepest”. He stays patient in his pedal, opens his hips cleanly, and breaks on the ball when it's in the air. Colbert's timing at the catch point stands out, as he competes well on posts, seams, and post-corner routes. Colbert's highlights show him breaking up passes and capitalizing on underthrown balls for interceptions.   Colbert has a natural feel for the game. He reads quarterbacks well, jumps routes in zone coverage, and reacts quickly to screens and swing passes. He's active downhill, willing to tackle, and shows reasonable effort finishing plays, including ankle tackles in space. Colbert also flashes strong ball skills, securing interceptions cleanly and turning them into positive returns.   With the ball in his hands, Colbert is electric. His punt-return ability is evident, with highlights showing multiple extended returns and touchdowns. That athleticism translates to defense, where his range and recovery speed allow him to erase mistakes and still make plays.   I'd like to see him put more pure safety reps early in the film, intense middle coverage, angles to the ball, and communication. He'll also want to continue improving play-action discipline, trusting his keys before triggering downhill.  I'd like to see him limit the number of punt returns at the start of highlights if the goal is safety recruitment. Use them as a secondary showcase, not the lead.   Overall, Colbert is a high-upside free safety prospect with range, ball skills, and athleticism. With added strength and a tighter safety-focused presentation, he projects as a dangerous center-field defender who can change games with turnovers.     Medley is a physical, downhill defender who consistently makes plays around the line of scrimmage. Although listed as a strong safety, his film shows heavy usage as an outside linebacker and edge blitzer. After watching his highlights, his timing and aggression stand out to me immediately. Medley attacks with confidence, gets downhill fast, and finishes plays with force.   As a pass rusher, Medley shows a strong feel for blitz timing. He hits gaps quickly, beats blocks with urgency, and closes on the quarterback. Proof of that is the sacks on his highlights. Against the run, Medley is decisive and physical. He scans plays, shoots downhill, and meets ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage with authority. Whether unblocked or fighting through traffic, Medley consistently creates tackles for loss and shows no hesitation attacking downhill. His tackling is firm and aggressive, wrapping up and driving runners backward.   He also flashes playmaking ability in coverage, highlighted by an interception on an overthrown slant that he returned for a touchdown. While most of his production comes near the box, that rep shows awareness and hands when the ball is in the air.   Overall, Medley profiles as a box safety or hybrid outside linebacker who brings toughness, blitz ability, and edge-setting presence. His physical mindset, timing, and production behind the line of scrimmage make him a tone-setter on defense. I'd like to see him in more coverage situations if he plans to play safety at the collegiate level.

the next several months, I'll be letting you know who some of the top returners on the defensive side of the football will be in the state of Maryland.